Key action for typewriters and other machines



May 20, 1930. o. u. DESHA KEY ACTION FOR TYPEWRITERS AND OTHER MACHINES 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 2'7, 1928 May 20, 1930. o. u. DESHA KEY ACTION FOR TYPEWRITERS AND OTHER MACHINES Filed Jan, 27, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 20, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OBVILLE U. DESHA, OF FORT COLLINS, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FIFTH TO THE DESHA TYPELEX TRUST ESTATE, OF FORT COLLINS, COLORADO KEY ACTION-FOR TYPEWRITERS AND OTHER MACHINES Application filed January 27, 1928. Serial No. 249,881.

In regard to certain more specific features thereof, my invention relates .to improvements in the associated and coacting parts of ,a key mechanism ofya machine whose actuating means operatively connecting the type bar and key lever move the type bar to printing point upon depression of the key lever; said connection embodying coacting means reversely breaking the said connection after the printing impact of the type bar for the return of the type bar to its normal position while the key lever is in depressed position; and also including coacting means for restoring said connection to normal operative position upon release of the key lever; this broad object being the subject matter of an application filed by me on November 5th, 1923, Serial No. 672,871, upon which Patent 1,643,203 issued Sept. 20, 1927, as a contradistinction between previous devices comprising a detachable connection or gap at some point between the key lever and type bar after the latter has been given the movement necessary to effect the printingand before the key lever} over the present state of the art, the follow- 5 has completedits cycle of movement. 1

Among the objects of the present inven-.

tion, the applicant has endeavored: First, to improve the coacting parts between the key lever and type bar which will provide, among other features a key action which will be efiicient in use, rapidand reliable in operation, and' which' shall-have a light touch for operating the type bar, and reduce the liability of the type to collide or pile when operated at high speed. Second, to providea key mechanism of the above character having few parts simple in construction which will be cheap to manufacture, con venient and easy to. arrange and assemble compactly, and construct a key mechanism as to be, but little likely to get out of order in usual operation.

My invention, accordingly,consists in certain combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangement of parts, that may read-ilybe incorporated in certain type writin machines with only slight modification" of the structural features of said ma chines as they now exist, exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, which will be more readily understood from an inspection of the accompanying two sheets-of drawings and the following specifications, the

- scope of the invention being indicated in the appended claims. I

My invention is especially applicable to the usual hand operating machine, as distinguished from a motor driven machine, and is shown in the present case embodied in a machine similar to the Remington standard typewriter. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not restricted to use in a machine of this type, but may be employed'wherever found available.

The applicant has endeavored to disclose and describethe construction of the mechanisin and manner of its operation and'its use in language comprehensible to those'versed or skilled in the art who would make oruse the device, suflicient .to satisfythe requisites of this application, without enumerating every obvious object and advantage, or pointing out all the difiicultiesand troubleswhich are cured or ameliorated by his improvement ing' being a brief description of the several views of the drawings: Fig. Lisa sectional elevation of a typewriting-machine taken longitudinally and about centrally thereof,

constructed in accordance with my invention and showing elements of one key action only in normal position, and also showing so much mechanism similar to the keylever being shown in a depressed position and the.

type bar responded to printing position.

III is--a key 1 Fig. IV is also a key mechanismsimilarto Fig. I, the key lever being shown in a de-- pressed position and the type bar returnedto; its initial position. In this manner the key lever may be held down to its limit of movement and the type bar will completeits' incident of response to effect the printing'and move out of engagement with theplaten-and complete its cycle of movement regardless of whether or not the key lever is released, thus relieving the key lever of work during the impact printing operation. 8 v

The following detailed description sets forth the best mode in which the applicant has contemplated applying the invention. It is understood, of course, that for the sake of V .clearnessand to avoid complication of drawthe rear.

ings elements of the complete machine already known to the art, constituting no'part of the present invention, and statements of mere obvious facts, ai'eoinitted. In the accompanying drawings similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in the several views, and in order tofacllitate V observance of a clear distinction between this and copending applications, the reference) characters also indicate as far as practical, the corresponding partsin the several views of my copending applications, Serial No. 55,227' filed September 8, 1925, and Serlal Nos. 178,083, 178,084,178,o85,178,086, 178,087,

178,088, and 178,089 filed March 24, 1927. In

the embodiment in Fig. I,'more in detail, in

which one'form of type action is shown as applied to' a typewritingmachine to which it is particularly adapted, 1 indicates the typewriter frame,1 indicating the front and 1? 5 indicates 'a common platen mounted as usual to travel longitudinally across the rear upper portion of the machine upon a carriage mechanism; As the carriage mechanism forms no part of the present 1nvention, specific disclosure and descript on thereof is omitted, asi't's broad function is well known.- 6 indicates'one of a series of type bars'each carrying at its front end type 7 and provided'at its rear-end with operative pin andslot connection 8 and 8* saidtype bars being radially arranged in a curved row about the same center and are movable about their fulcrum'pivot rod 9'on a type bar segment -10, Figr-I, from a horizontal or forwardly extending radial position E on cushion rest 11 forming the arc of vibration G and is brought'against' the front face of platen5 to a common printing point A, to

an upright radial position as shown by radius F. 12 indicates one of a series of key levers providing an upward arm 12 intermediately of its ends and carrying at the front end finger key 13, the rear endpivoted'at'lt supportedby barl P in the rear of the'machine, and' iskept normally in its elevated position by the usual spring-15 supported by said bar 7 14" at normal rest the key lever' bearing against-the underside 15 of the buffer bar "for the key lever-12. 18 indicates one of a ,series of vibratory levers corresponding in number with the type bars 6 and key levers 12 pivoted intermediately-of its ends at 19 supported by'bar 20. Means operatively connecting the type bar and vibratory lever may be that. of any wellknown in the art b'ut preferably the usual pin and slot connection 8 and 8" at the heel of the rear end of the type bar and upper end of the vibratory lever. 21 is an actuating trip link'pivotedat 21" to the lower end of the depending arm of the vibratory lever and is provided with an eccentric slot 21" engaging the actuating trippet pin 22 supported by the key lever arm. The actuating trip link 21 provides a shoul der or an interlocking hump projecting within said slot operatively interlocking the pin 22 carried by the key lever arm. The elements 21 and 22 therefore provide a reversely breakingactuating coupling for moving the type bar to printing point upon depression ofethekey' lever. I

The new mechanical structure, combination of parts and operation thereof arethe important factors of the invention in providdisclosed by the movement of the key lever 12 back froinradius C to radius Bi The type bar 6 is described as having two incidents of operation, before completing its operative cycle, namely: incident of response and incident of recoil. The incident of re- 'spons'e ofthe type bar 6-is disclosed bythe movementofthe type bar from its initial rest radius E to printing point A, at radius F, formingarc G from p1vot 9'. Theinci having two dent of recoil of type-bar 6 is disclosed by its movement from the printing point A back 7 to normal rest E thereby completing its opare, of course, common; in nonreversely' breaking type bar actlons In so far as the incident of response, E to A,of the type bar.

6 occurs simultaneously with the incident of depression, B to C, of the key lever 12, and V V the incident of recoil, A to E, of the type' bar occurs simultaneously with the incident 'erative cycle. These incidents of operation,

llO

vof release, C to B, of the key lever. In other words, the operative cycle of the type bar H and that of the keylever aresimul-taneous in;

a nonreversely breaking connection,' but the broad function inherent to the present key actionrelative tothe correlation of incidents of operation of the key lever with that of the type bar is in'providing theoperati-ve' expeclient by which both the incident o fresponse,

E to A, ofthe type bar and the'incident of recoil, A to E, occur during the one incident of depression, 13 toC, of the key lever, the

type bar completing its operative cycle" while the operative cycle of the key lever is; only half complete. I Upon depression of the key lever the actuating trippet' pin 21", moves he may be used without-others.

downwardly carryingwith' it the forward sion of the key'lever and rear end of the V trip dog 23 communicates with the stop rod 24 supported by bar 20v reversely breaking the trip elements after printing impact of the type bar 6 for returning the latter to normal position of rest while the key lever is held in depressed position asv shown in FigIV. v

It'is'equally important that reliable and rapidmeans be provided for restoring the elements 21 and 22 of the reversely breaking actuating coupling to normal operative position upon release of'the keyleve'r, this expedient is accomplished by the return plate 25 loosely pivoted at 25 intermediately of its ends to the side of the key lever 12, and is provided witha return hammer 25 at its forward end. Upon release of the key lever the rear end of the return plate 25 communicates'with a set screw 26 supported by bar 20 turning the return plate on its pivot 25 causing its forward return hammer to communicate with the lower edge of the trip link 21 and in turn moves the latter.

to its normal interlocked position with the actuating trippet pin 22. i I

Finally, it will be seen that the present invention provides a simple and practical type action which'will be rapid and efficient in use, accomplishing, amongbothers, all of the objects and advantages a ove set forth, therefore the operation and method of use of a type action ofthis characteris believed to be perfectly clear from the above description, a reiteration thereof is believed to be unnecessary. As many changes could he made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof and it is in-.

tended that-all matter contained in the above may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvement Having described my invention, jwhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a typewriter key action, a type bar, a

key lever providing an upward arm intermediately of its ends, a vibratory lever pivoted intermediately ofits ends, means operatively connecting the upward end of the vibratory lever with the type bar, an Lactuating trip link operatively connected to the'lower end ofthe vibratory lever, an actuatingtrippet pin carried by said key'lever arm operatively interlocking the actuating trip link moving 7 the type bar to printing point upon depression of the key lever, means disinterlocking said trippet pin and actuating trip link for returning the type bar to normal position while'the key lever is in depressed position. 7

2 In a typewriter key action, a type bar, a key lever providing an upward arm intermediately of its ends, a vibratory lever pivoted intermediately of its ends, means operatively connectingthe upward end of the vibratory lever with ,the type bar, an actuatingtrip link operatively connected to the lower end of the vibratory lever, an actuating trippet pin carried by said key lever arm operatively V interlocking the actuating trip link moving the type bar to printing point upon depression of the key lever, means disinterlocking said trippet pin and actuating trip link for returning the type bar to normal position while; the key lever is in depressed posit-ion, means restoring said actuating trip link and trippet pin to normal interlocked position upon release of the key lever. v

'3. In a key action, a type bar, a key lever providingan upward arm intermediately of its ends, a vibratory lever pivoted intermediately of its ends, means operatively connecting the upward end of the vibratory lever with the type bar, an actuating trip link operatively connectedto the lower end of the vibratory lever, the actuating trip linkhav:

ing an eccentric slot, an interlocking hump projecting within said slot, an actuating trippet pin carriedby said key lever arm engaged within the forward, end of said slot in front of said interlocking hump operatively interlocking said actuating triplink moving the type bar to printing point upon depression of the key lever, means disinterlocking said trippet pin and actuating trip link moving said pin to the rear end of said slot behind 7 said interlocking hump for returning the type bar to normal position while key lever: 1s1n depressed position. i

e. Ina typewritling machine, a type bar,

a key lever providing an upward arm intermediately of its ends, a vibratory lever pivoted intermediately of its ends, means opera tively connecting the upward endof the V vibratory leverwith the type bar, an ac tuating trip link operatively connected to the lower end of the vibratory lever, the

actuating trip link having an eccentric slot, an interlocking hump projecting with- 1 in said slot, an actuating trippet pin carried by said key lever arm'engaged within the forward end of said slot in front 7 of said interlocking hump operatively inter-' I V V I 13 39.

lockingsaid actuatin trip link rnoving the typebar toprin'tiiig point upon depression 'of t e key lever, means disinterlocking saidtrippet pin and actuating trip link moving said pin to the rear end of said slot behind said interlocking hul np for returning the type bar to norrnal positionwhile the key lever is in' 'depressed'position, neans restoring said trip 7 pet pin' to'normal operativeipositiqn Within the forward end ofsaidfslot in front of said interlocking hump upon release of the key lever. V 5. In a typewriting machine, a type bar, a key lever providing an upward arm inter- 2 mediately of its ends, a vibratory lever, a supporting bar extending across the machine 7 above thekey lever supporting a pivot rod ing bar extending acrossthe mach ne above vibratdry lever internie for said vibratory lever intermediately the ends ofthe'latter, means operatively jconnecting the upward end of the vibratory lever with the type'bar, an actuating trip link operaavel connected to the lower end of the vi bratory lever, an actuating trippet pin carried by said key lever arm operatively interlocking the actuating trip linkn oving the type bar to printing point upon depression of the key lever, a trip rod carried by "said vibratory lever supporting bar in therear'of said vibratorylever pivot, a trip dog loosely mounted on said vibratory lever pivot rod beside its vibratory lever and its, rear end cormiiunicatbar, ana'ctuating trip'link, operatively connected 'to' the lower end -of the" vibratory lever, an actuating trippet pin carried bysaid key leverlarm .operatively" interlocking the V actuating trip link fiiiovingrthe type bar to printing point upon' de'pression of'the key vibratory lever, and its rear end communicat- 1 lever, a trip rod carried byf said vibratory lever supporting'barin the rear of said vibra tory 'leve'rpivot, a trip dog loosely mounted onsaidvvibratjo'ry lever pivot rod beside its ing with said'trip rod, a trip nose provided by the forward end of'said't'rip dog communi- G0. I turning the type bar ad in-e1; position while the key levergis in depressed position, means I v ,turn'harniner prov ded at the iorward end atin withtlie rear-g edg of the tri lif k disinterlocking the actuatingtrip link fo restoringsaid 'aetuatin g tripilink trippet P n f rml i e o ke e biif pe ir- V t f he kWh???- r i V di r ' ke we or y e tie ma chine, atyp'e'bar, a key lever providing an up; r- 1 im n 'fime i eli of t end a i If: y ever, a s ipb i' g ar: extend ng pnoea the machine supporting the pivot rodfor said o vibratdly lever i lte iimdi etlyf the ends of the latter, ineans operatiyly connecting the upward end of the vibratory lever with the yp ar an e r s l k' pea v' ly connected to the lower end of the vibratory lever, an actuating trippet pin carried by said y eve a m pemt e i nt qbk n t e actuating rii i mbv ile he y e ba t printingp h' pp f d m seen of he." ey lever, means disinterlockingsaid tripp'et'pin and actuating trip link ioririeturning' the:

type bar to normal positipn while the key lever is ep s d pb t on, re ur nlate y pii fifid o tli "s de Jqf th ey late a set screw supported by the vibratory leverptin bar q nip i-ii at th rear end of said return plate, aret urnhanirner provided at the forward end of said ret irn p e e u tieg w th he leve f dge Q the trip link moving the latter to: itsnorm al,

nt qc l 'ieesi ien W th the aet eti f r p: pet pin upon releaseof the key lever.

-1 ypev reyfin. pm ine ie type bar, a key lever pivotedat itsrrear end and R -id an upwardar ortermed a ly of its ends, a vibratory, lever, a supporting bar extending across the machine abqve the ey e er suPPQ in a piv t rodr Sa d vibratory lever interlnediately the endsotthe latter, means operatively connecting the. upward end of the vibratory. lever, witl the yp e an ti at g ps ink .ope t vely;

connected to the lower end oi'the vibratory. lever, the actuatingtrip link having. an eccentric slot, an interlocking. hump projecting within said slot, anactuating trippet pin carried by said key; leyer arm engaged within the forward end'of said slot in front-of said interlocking hump. operativel-y interlocking the actuating trip linkinoving. thetypebar to printing point upon depression of the key lever, a trip rod carried by said vibratory; lever supporting bar in the rear of said vibratory lever pivot, a trip dog loosely mounted on said vibratory. lever; pivot rod beside its.

vibratory lever and its rearend coinmunicat; ing with saidtrip rod, a trip nose provided by the forward'end ofsaid tripdog'com- V municating with the rear edge of the trip link disinterlocking the actuating trip link for returning the typebarto normal position. 2 while the key lever is in depressed position, I

a return plate looselyj pivoted' to the sideo'f' the keyflever, a set screwsiipported'by thi t ter v r suppor in r mlmi ing at the rear end of said return plate, a re;

of an et n P a emz ieei new t the, lower edge of the trip moving the lat{ ter to its normal interlocked position with the actuating trippet pin upon release of the key lever. 1

Signed at Fort Collins, in the county of Larimer and State of Colorado, this 28 day of January, A. D. 1928.

ORVILLE U. DESHA. 

